Priority

He phones to say he will bring the boys' presents over on Christmas eve. The olive branch is offered once more for Christmas morning.

No, says he, it has to be 7am or nothing as he has "other things to do" on that day.

Priorities, he has them. Just not in the right order.

I probably sound awful, denying him the right to turn up here first thing on Christmas morning. It will be a long enough day for me, the trek over to my parents, having to cook the lunch and do everything on my own as usual while everyone else gets to enjoy the day. I think I'll stay at home next year and go to my parents on Christmas eve as it ends up with the day itself being just one long rush and endurance test. Then again I'll feel guilty because at my dad's age there might not be too many Christmases together left. And He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named thinks his life is complex.

I still get mail for him now and again, demands from various debt collectors. I always pass them on but it is obvious he is not dealing with them. It would feel better if it wasn't the case where I won't have enough money to cover the bills at the end of the month. One day I shall look back upon all this as a life lesson, it is just so difficult to live through not knowing when the end is in sight.